curated: where is the saturation marketing for ‘Wonder Woman’?

It’s odd how different things look from another person’s point of view. When I go to the comic book store, the shelves are flooded with Wonder Woman toys and books, and when I go to the movies, I keep seeing Wonder Woman posters in bold primary colors. But I’m a longtime comic book reader, and a big fan of the character, so these things tend to catch my eye. I wonder if the powers that be are targeting the die-hard fans rather than the general audiences they’ll need to make the film a success.

Bluejay

Yes, there’s a lot of WW marketing for the comic-book-reading demographic. There was also a lot in the general media around the time of the 75th anniversary. (The Post Office has WW stamps!)

I think the movie is going to be a huge hit regardless of marketing; the general public already seems to be aware it’s coming, and seems to be primed to see it. In a way I kind of appreciate the fact that they’re NOT doing saturation marketing for the film. I don’t want to see any more trailers or have any more scenes spoiled. I already know I’m going to see it on opening weekend.

You cannot just target die-hard fans and expect success with a mainstream blockbuster. There just aren’t enough of those fans. Most people who see this movie will never have read a WW comic… or any comic, most likely.

It is… but *that* is the enormous problem here. The studio seems to setting this film up for failure.

Bluejay

The studio seems to be setting this film up for failure.

I’ve read arguments that the studio is simply trying not to overspend on marketing, since that’s what bloated the budget and reduced profits on films like BvS. Still, there’s a balance to be struck, and being mostly absent from the general conversation doesn’t seem like a good idea either.

If WW is a hit, it certainly won’t be because of the marketing (at least so far). If the studio *is* deliberately setting up the film to fail, it really boggles my mind. Is their sexism that much stronger than their greed, that they’d choose to tank a major tentpole rather than try and make as much money off it as possible? If they went all-out to promote godawful films like BvS and Suicide Squad, why wouldn’t they do the same for WW, whatever the movie’s quality? So weird.

RogerBW

Well… if the studio wants to keep doing DC films in the long run, this ibe might be a sacrifice so that they can keep doing “easy” crowd-pleasers with Batman in them rather than “hard” films where they might need to hire some competent writers. But that’s a bit conspiracy-theory even for me.

Bluejay

That makes no sense. They can keep doing “easy” crowd-pleasers all they want; the audience for those films is guaranteed. Making “hard” quality films won’t conflict with that at all, and they’ll make more money if they do their best to market both kinds of films.

well, i work in midtown manhattan. i travel by subway and bus and walk around every day, i have yet to see a poster, a billboard or ad on the subway, or side of a bus, or at a bus stop or in the free newspapers. and i’m *interested* in seeing this movie, so i’m actually *looking* for this advertising.

RogerBW

I watch several YouTube trailer feeds, and before Deadpool and Suicide Squad there was saturation bombardment of trailers and clips and interviews and promotional stuff in general. Even for Batman vs Superman. There’s been a little for Wonder Woman, but nothing like the intensity used for most superhero films.

Ditto in London. The movie opens on the same day here as in the US and I’ve seen nothing letting people know that.

Danielm80

I saw a Wonder Woman commercial during Samantha Bee’s Not the White House Correspondents’ Dinner. That’s one case of picking the right target audience. Hopefully, the ads will start to appear on a wider variety of shows later this week.